Planning on switching careers? Here’s how an MBA can help open doors

For most mid-career working professionals considering doing an MBA, advancement within one’s industry is of top priority. But can doing the MBA help in changing careers as well?

Answer: yes.

An MBA allows for big career pivots because of its versatility. It touches on an array of business disciplines where you will pick up new skills in marketing, operations, finance, strategy and HR. Unique to the Manchester Global MBA programme, our modules are taught in practical themes that reflect the business world, rather than traditional subject areas. A pioneer in the field of experiential learning, our teaching pedagogy coined the ‘Manchester Method’, emphasises on practical and reflective-based skills that students will be able to apply in an everchanging global business landscape.

On top of that, the Manchester Global MBA offers a wide range of over 20+ electives spanning across 8 business management specialisms from Technology (Big Data Analytics, Managing Disruptive Technologies), Finance (Venture Capital & Private Equity), Entrepreneurship & Innovation (Entrepreneurship & Innovation Management), to Strategy (Advanced Strategic Management, International Business Strategy). This enables students to better tailor their career plans to suit their individual aspirations.

As a result of this, it prepares the student to better adjust to a new job role or a new career.

An MBA will help you develop and extend your professional network

In addition to new skills, an MBA will allow you to develop and extend your network.

Networking is one of the most effective way to find a new job, especially for career switchers. Many times, HR may not be open to career switchers, but by networking within the organisation, you will be able to open doors.

If someone in the organization recommends a candidate, HR will most likely include them in the recruitment process based on the recommendation. 

At Manchester Worldwide (S.E. Asia), you will have the opportunity to interact with peers from a whopping 54 nationalities, and from very diverse industry backgrounds. Our vast network of more than 60,000 alumni spanning across 176 countries on 4 continents also means that you will be able to connect with fellow alumni wherever you are in the world.

We also strive to maximise the networking opportunities for students as part of the MBA programme, with our MBA+ suite of activities where we actively host student and alumni networking sessions, guest speaker events, professional and personal development seminars, be it in-person or virtually.

An MBA helps graduates quickly adapt to changing marketplace conditions

The business world is constantly changing, and organisational change experts predict that the rate in which businesses evolve will only accelerate in the future. This means that the ability to adapt to an every-changing economy will be critical to a working professional’s long-term career success.

Because an MBA is greatly valued across different industries due to the transferrable skills students acquire on the programme, it can help MBA holders adapt to uncertain times and changing circumstances in the economy and job market.

For example, COVID-19 is impacting many industries and job functions. Having an MBA—not to mention the MBA network that comes along with it—will enhance a graduate’s ability to deftly pivot their career path in a direction that will enable continued professional development.

What are the job opportunities after an MBA?

There’s no limit to what one can accomplish with an MBA. Having an MBA opens many doors for individuals from both business and non-business backgrounds by giving them the skills they need to pursue and succeed across a variety of industries, job functions, and career paths. It opens job opportunities and paves the way for not only a promising career path, but also a flexible one.

And given the connections, transferable skills, and hands-on experience that an MBA provides, graduates will be better positioned to make these career changes and alter their career paths.